Fuel cell systems and related arrangements for limiting relative motion between fuel cells

ABSTRACT

Fuel cell systems ( 10 ) and related methods for limiting fuel cell slippage are provided. A stacked plurality of adjacent fuel cells ( 14 ) collectively forming a fuel cell stack ( 12 ). The fuel cells each include a pair of first and second plates ( 30, 30′, 30″; 32, 32′, 32″ ) at respective opposite ends thereof. A first fuel cell has a first plate ( 30, 30′, 30 ″) in engagement with a second plate ( 32, 32′, 32″ ) of a second fuel cell adjacent to the first fuel cell. A slip mitigation arrangement ( 50, 50′, 50″ ) between at least one of the pairs of the first and second fuel cells comprises first and second seats ( 62, 62′, 62″; 64, 64′, 64″ ) recessed in the engagement surfaces of the first and second conductive plates respectively, and a key member ( 60, 60′, 60″ ) having opposite ends seated in the first and the second recessed seats such that relative movement between the first and the second fuel cells is limited.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The disclosure relates generally to fuel cells, and more particularly toarrangements, including methods, for limiting relative motion betweenfuel cells in a fuel cell stack.

2. Description of the Related Art

Fuel cells, such as Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cells,oftentimes are arranged in assemblies known as fuel cell stacks. In sucha fuel cell stack, the fuel cells are oriented one on top of, or nextto, another, with the fuel cells being sandwiched between pressureplates. The pressure plates act in compression to longitudinally preventthe fuel cells from separating. Various arrangements exist forfacilitating assembly and/or maintaining alignment or registration ofthe cells in a stack, as exemplified by alignment plugs for facilitatingassembly in U.S. Pat. No. 6,423,439; registration inserts andnon-identically shaped registration apertures in U.S. Pat. No.7,297,428; and insulated rods and holes in U.S. Pat. No. 6,620,540.

While the foregoing arrangements are intended to facilitate assemblyand/or maintain registration of fuel cells and fuel cell components in afuel cell stack, further improvement with respect to structure,durability and operability is sought, particularly for fuel cell stacksto be housed and operated in enclosed, human-occupied vehicles wheremaintaining sealed integrity of the stack under possible operatingconditions of extreme vibration and shear loading is of particularimportance. One aspect of concern is that the fuel cell stack beprotected against slippage, and thus leakage and/or damage tocomponents, which may occur as the result of large shear loads.

SUMMARY

Fuel cell systems and related arrangements, including methods, forlimiting relative motion between fuel cells in a fuel cell stack areprovided. An exemplary embodiment of a fuel cell system comprises astacked plurality of adjacent fuel cells collectively forming a fuelcell stack, the fuel cells each including a pair of first and secondplates, typically conductive, at respective opposite ends thereof and anelectrolyte, for example a proton exchange membrane (PEM), therebetween, a first said fuel cell having a first said plate in engagementwith a second said plate of a second fuel cell adjacent to said firstfuel cell at respective engagement surfaces thereof; and a slipmitigation arrangement between at least said first and said second fuelcells comprises a first seat recessed in said engagement surface of saidfirst plate, a second seat recessed in said engagement surface of saidsecond plate, and a key member having opposite ends seated in said firstand said second recessed seats such that relative movement between saidfirst and said second fuel cells is reduced or dampened.

In another example embodiment of a fuel cell system, the fuel cells eachinclude an interfacial seal in sealing engagement with said first andsaid second plates, the plates of the fuel cells are formed of amaterial having a first relative hardness or stiffness, the key memberof the slip mitigation arrangement is formed of a material having asecond hardness or stiffness typically relatively less than that of thematerial of the plates, and the interfacial seals are formed of amaterial having a third hardness or stiffness relatively less than thatof the key member. Stated another way, the material of the key member ofthe slip mitigation arrangement has a relative hardness equal ortypically less than that of the material of the plates, but greater thanthat of the interfacial seals.

In a further example embodiment of a fuel cell system, the first and thesecond recessed seats of the slip mitigation arrangement have respectivecross-sectional geometries, the key member has a cross-sectionalgeometry similar to but slightly smaller than the cross-sectionalgeometries of the recessed seats and a length greater than the combineddepths of the first and second seats such that the key member islongitudinally compressed to expand transversely into said firmengagement with the sides of said first and said second seats when thefuel cell stack is fully assembled.

In yet a further example embodiment of a fuel cell system, the keymember of a slip mitigation arrangement is annular and is mounted, priorto stack assembly, on a mounting stub in one of the first and secondrecessed seats.

In a still further example embodiment of a fuel cell system, the firstand second recessed seats of the slip mitigation arrangement arecircular in cross-section and the key member is a disk.

An example method is disclosed for minimizing slip due to shear loadingbetween adjacent fuel cells in a stack of plural fuel cells. The fuelcells each including a pair of first and second plates at respectiveopposite ends thereof and an electrolyte there between, a first saidfuel cell has a first said plate for engagement with a second said plateof a second fuel cell adjacent to said first fuel cell at respectiveengagement surfaces thereof, and the method comprises providing a firstseat recessed in the engagement surface of said first plate; providing asecond seat recessed in the engagement surface of said second plate; thefirst and the second seats having respective cross-sectional geometries;providing a key member disposed in one of the first and the second seatsprior to stack assembly, the key member having a cross-sectionalgeometry similar to but slightly smaller than the cross-sectionalgeometries of the first and the second seats and having a lengthslightly greater than the combined depths of the first and the secondseats; and assembling and longitudinally compressing the fuel cells inthe stack to bring the fuel cells into engagement with one another andcorrespondingly longitudinally compress the key member and causetransverse expansion thereof into firm engagement with the sides of thefirst and second seats to thereby reduce any movement between the fuelcells.

Other systems, methods, features and/or advantages of this disclosurewill be or may become apparent to one with skill in the art uponexamination of the following drawings and detailed description. It isintended that all such additional systems, methods, features and/oradvantages be included within this description and be within the scopeof the present disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Many aspects of the disclosure can be better understood with referenceto the following drawings. The components in the drawings are notnecessarily to scale. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numeralsdesignate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram depicting an exemplary embodiment of afuel cell system having a slip mitigation arrangement.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are partial sectional views of a portion of the slipmitigation arrangement of FIG. 1, with FIG. 2A depicting the arrangementprior to complete assembly of the fuel cell system and FIG. 2B being anenlarged depiction of the arrangement in the assembled system asrepresented by the broken line 2A in FIG. 1.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are partial sectional views similar to those of FIGS. 2Aand 2B, illustrating a further embodiment of a slip mitigationarrangement.

FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view similar to that of FIG. 2A,illustrating a further embodiment of a slip mitigation arrangement.

FIGS. 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D, and 5E are simplified, schematic, plan form, ortop, views of various numbers and locations of slip mitigationarrangements on a fuel cell in a stack.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Fuel cell systems and related methods for limiting fuel cell slippageare provided, several exemplary embodiments of which will be describedin detail. In this regard, example embodiments involve the use of ProtonExchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cells arranged in fuel cell stacks thatincorporate slip mitigation arrangements. The slip mitigationarrangements involve key members disposed in respective key seats inpairs of adjacent fuel cells to limit the possibility of fuel cells of afuel cell stack being able to move, or slide, relative to each other.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram depicting an exemplary embodiment of afuel cell system 10. As shown in FIG. 1, system 10 incorporates a fuelcell stack 12 comprising multiple fuel cells 14 arranged, or “stacked”,on or next to each other in sandwich fashion. Pressure plates 16 and 18are located at opposing ends of the stack 12. A group of tie rods 20extend in tension between pressure plates 16 and 18 and serve, withinsulated bushings 22 and fastening nuts 24, to apply a longitudinalcompressive force to stack 12 to maintain the fuel cells 14 in closemutual engagement in the longitudinal direction. Each fuel cell 14typically includes a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) 28, and anode andcathode plates 30 and 32, respectively, adjacent the opposite surfacesof the MEA 28. Interfacial seals 34 are located in mutual sealingcontact with adjacent anode and cathode plates 30 and 32 in adjacentfuel cells 14 in the stack 12, at or near the outer perimeters of thoseplates, to provide a gas and liquid seal within the stack at theinterface between the adjacent fuel cells 14. The interfacial seals 34may conveniently be edge seals if located at the outer perimeters of theplates, as depicted in FIG. 1, but may alternatively be located somewhatinboard of those perimeters so long as they continue to provide therequisite gas and liquid seals.

The membrane electrode assembly 28 includes an electrolyte in the formof a central proton exchange membrane 40, anode and cathode catalystlayers 42 and 44, respectively, on opposite sides of the membrane 40,and may include gas diffusion layers 46 adjacent the outward surfaces ofthe catalyst layers. Gaskets 43, typically of thin plastic film, areplaced on or near the outer periphery of the anode and cathode catalystlayers 42 and 44 with the membrane 40 sandwiched there between toprevent outward leakage of reactant gasses.

The anode plate 30 and cathode plate 32 are variously known as bipolarplates, separator plates, field flow plates, or similar. Plates 30 and32 serve to distribute reactants (typically hydrogen and an oxidant,such as air) to the MEA 28 for electrochemical reaction, may alsodistribute coolant and/or remove product water, and serve aselectrically-conductive members for providing electrical contact andcontinuity between adjacent fuel cells 14. The plates 30 and 32 will bereferred to collectively herein as bipolar plates, or separately asanode and cathode bipolar plates, respectively, or simply as plates 30and 32. The bipolar plates 30 and 32 are typically formed of anelectrically-conductive material such as graphite, graphite composite,or metal, and are relatively hard, rigid, and durable. For the purposeof the discussion herein, the term “hardness” will be used to describeand relate an important property of the materials of several differentelements appearing in the stack 12, particularly at the interface regionbetween adjacent fuel cells 14. The term “hardness”, in the elasticrange, represents a small temporary change in shape for a given force,and is known as “stiffness” in the case of a given object, or a highelastic modulus in the case of a material. “Durometer” is one of severalmeasures of the hardness of materials, depending in part on the generaltype of material.

In contrast with the material of the bipolar plates 30 and 32, thematerial of the interfacial seals 34 is relatively less hard, or moreresilient, softer and less stiff, typically being plastic or rubber andhaving a significantly lower modulus than that of the bipolar plates.The seals 34 are required to provide a seal or barrier to retain thevarious reactants and reaction products within the adjacent fuel cells14, and prevent leakage externally, as to the local environment. If thefuel cell system 10 were subjected to sharp and/or large forcestransverse (or lateral) to the longitudinal extent of the stack 12, thepossibility of leakage at the seals 34 due to slippage between the fuelcells 14 might occur were it not for the slip mitigation arrangement 50to be disclosed hereinafter in detail.

Accordingly, a slip mitigation arrangement 50 is provided in associationwith one or more, or typically each, adjacent pair of fuel cells 14 instack 12 of the fuel cell system 10. The slip mitigation arrangement 50is seen generally in FIG. 1, but is seen in greater detail and/or inalternate embodiments in FIGS. 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, and 4. Referring first toFIGS. 2A and 2B, the slip mitigation arrangement 50 of FIG. 1 is shownin FIG. 2A prior to final assembly of the stack 12, and in FIG. 2B as anexploded view of the dotted segment 2B of FIG. 1 following assembly andcompression of the stack 12 by the pressure plates 16 and 18 via tierods 20. The slip mitigation assembly 50 comprises a key member 60seated partly in a key seat recess 62 formed in the outer surface ofanode bipolar plate 30 of one fuel cell, and partly in a similar keyseat recess 64 in the outer surface of cathode bipolar plate 32 of theadjacent facing fuel cell. The key seat recesses may be formed bycounterboring or other suitable form of machining. The key member 60 isformed of a material which is rigid enough to maintain the adjacent fuelcells 14 in registry or alignment under significant transverse, orshear, loads, yet is flexible enough to avoid damage to the anode andcathode bipolar plates 30 and 32. The key member has a hardness greaterthan that of the interfacial seals 34, but no greater than and typicallyless than, that of the anode and cathode bipolar plates 30 and 32 inwhich it is seated. The materials for the key members 60 are typically apolymer, possibly natural but typically synthetic, and may includevarious plastics and fluroelastomers (FKM), and should have good waterresistance if the key members are located inwardly of the interfacialseals 34. Of course a principal requirement of the material is that itpossesses a hardness that is intermediate the hardness of the anode andcathode bipolar plates 30 and 32 and the hardness of the interfacialseals 34. Since the hardness of the materials of both of thoselatter-mentioned materials not only differ relative to each other butmay individually be selected from within a respective range, thehardness of the key member(s) 60 will also reside between the extremesof those ranges. The material(s) for key member 60 may be eitherelectrically conductive or non-conductive.

The key member 60 in the FIGS. 1, 2A and 2B embodiment is annular orcylindrical, and is annular in cross-sectional shape, and is disposed inengagement on a mounting stub 70 in one or the other of the key seatrecesses 62 and 64 to facilitate alignment and assembly. As illustrated,both key seat recesses 62 and 64 are provided with mounting stubs 70.The key seat recesses 62 and 64 and the key member 60 are similarlyshaped, e. g., here circular or modified annular in cross-sectionalgeometry, but alternatively rectilinear or some other shape, with thekey member 60 being slightly smaller in the transverse direction thanthe key seat recesses 62 and 64, e.g., radially, to accommodate someradial/transverse expansion of the key member upon longitudinalcompression of the stack 12 during assembly. It will be appreciated thatthe key member 60 might alternately have been annular only on the endsto accommodate the mounting stubs 70, and solid in the mid-region foradditional stability.

Referring to FIG. 2B, it is noted that the anode and cathode plates 30and 32 have been assembled and compressed into contact with one another.The key member 60 is sized slightly larger in the axial, orlongitudinal, direction than the similar dimension of the combined keyseat recesses 62 and 64 such that upon compression of the anode andcathode plates 30 and 32 into contact with one another, the key member60 is similarly compressed and expands radially to fill and engage theside walls of the key seat recesses. In this way, shear loads imposed onthe stack 12 as a whole are transmitted to and resisted by the keymembers 60 between the various pairs of fuel cells 14 which they span.

Typically, one or more key members 60 will be associated with each pairof adjacent fuel cells 14 in the stack 12, but fewer may be used ifcertain regions of higher shear loads are identifiable and the keymembers limited to those regions. Additionally, the key members 60 andtheir corresponding seat recesses 62 and 64 are located on/in the fuelcells 14 in positions causing minimum interruption to the flow offluids. Several exemplary positions for the key members are depicted andwill be described with respect to FIGS. 5A-5E. The key members 60 arerelatively rigid and have a hardness designed to resist the shear loadsand to generally avoid transmission of such loads to the interfacialseals 34 which are of a material of relatively less hardness. On theother hand, the material of key members 60 being of a hardness equal toor typically less than, that of the anode and cathode plates 30 and 32assures that the key member 60 will not damage the plates in the eventof significant shear loads.

Another embodiment of a slip mitigation arrangement 50′ is depicted inFIGS. 3A and 3B, wherein the key member 60′ might be circular in shape,as are the associated seat recesses 62′ and 64′ in the anode plate 30′and the cathode plate 32′, respectively. However, in this instance, theseat recesses 62′ and 64′ do not include mounting stubs and the keymember 60′ is a solid disk or “biscuit”. However, the “biscuit-type” keymember 60′ is the same in most other respects as the annular key member60 of the preceding figures. As with respect to the embodiment depictedin FIGS. 2A and 2B, FIG. 3A depicts the key member 60′ in seat recesses62′ and 64′ prior to final assembly of the fuel cell stack, and FIG. 3Bdepicts the same elements following assembly.

A further example embodiment of a slip mitigation arrangement 50″ isdepicted in FIG. 4, wherein seat recess 62″ in the anode plate 30″includes a mounting stub 70″, whereas the seat recess 64″ in cathodeplate 32″ does not, since the function of mounting, i.e., positioningand stabilizing, the at least partly annular key member 60″ can beaccomplished with the single mounting stub 70″″. Of course that mountingstub might have been located in the seat recess 64″, rather than seatrecess 62″. Still further, the key member 60″ is depicted as beingsolid, or disk-like, toward one end and annular at the other end toaccommodate the mounting stub 70″.

Reference is made now to FIGS. 5A-5E for simplified schematic depictionsof several examples of numerous possible configurations for locating theslip mitigation arrangements 50 across the plan form of fuel cells 14 ina stack 12. FIG. 5A is a simplified plan form depiction of FIG. 1, andillustrates a single slip mitigation arrangement 50, shown as a brokenline circle, generally located near the center of the plan form area ofa fuel cell 14. FIG. 5B illustrates the inclusion of two slip mitigationarrangements 150 located near diagonally opposite corners of a fuel cell114 in a stack 112. FIG. 5C illustrates the inclusion of four slipmitigation arrangements 250 located near the four corners of a fuel cell214 in a stack 212. FIG. 5D illustrates the inclusion of five slipmitigation arrangements 350 for a fuel cell 314, with four being locatednear the four corners and one being near the center of the fuel cell 314in a stack 312. FIG. 5E is similar to FIG. 5C in the sense that itdepicts four slip mitigation arrangements 450 located near the fourcorners of a fuel cell 414 in a stack 412; however, it differs anddeparts from the depiction in FIG. 1 in that the interfacial seal 434,shown in broken line, is now located inward of both the outer perimeterof the fuel cell 414 and the locations of one or all of the slipmitigation arrangements 450.

It should be emphasized that the above-described embodiments are merelypossible examples of implementations set forth for a clear understandingof the principles of this disclosure. Many variations and modificationsmay be made to the above-described embodiments without departingsubstantially from the spirit and principles of the disclosure. All suchmodifications and variations are intended to be included herein withinthe scope of this disclosure and protected by the accompanying claims.

1. A fuel cell system (10) comprising: a stacked plurality of adjacentfuel cells (14) collectively forming a fuel cell stack (12), said fuelcells each including a pair of first and second plates (30, 32) atrespective opposite ends thereof and an electrolyte (40) there between,a first said fuel cell (14) having a first said plate (30, 30′, 30″) inengagement with a second said plate (32, 32′, 32″) of a second fuel cell(14) adjacent to said first fuel cell at respective engagement surfacesthereof; and a slip mitigation arrangement (50, 50′, 50″) between atleast one pair of said first and said second fuel cells comprising: afirst seat (62, 62′,62″) recessed in said engagement surface of saidfirst plate (30, 30′, 30″), a second seat (64, 64′, 64″) recessed insaid engagement surface of said second plate (32, 32′, 32″), and a keymember (60, 60′, 60″) having opposite ends seated in said first and saidsecond recessed seats such that relative movement between said first andsaid second fuel cells is reduced.
 2. The fuel cell system (10) of claim1 wherein the first and second plates (30, 30′, 30″; 32, 32′, 32″) atopposite ends of a fuel cell (14) are formed of a material having afirst relative hardness, and the key member (60, 60′, 60″) is formed ofa material having a second relative hardness equal to or less than saidfirst relative hardness.
 3. The fuel cell system (10) of claim 2 whereinsaid fuel cells (14) include an interfacial seal (34) in mutualengagement with said first and said second plates (30, 30′, 30″; 32,32′, 32″), said interfacial seal being formed of a material having athird relative hardness less than both said first and said secondrelative hardnesses.
 4. The fuel cell system (10) of claim 2 whereinsaid key member (60, 60′, 60″) is a water-resilient polymer.
 5. The fuelcell system (10) of claim 1 wherein said first and said second seats(62, 62′, 62″; 64, 64′, 64″) respectively recessed in the engagementsurfaces of said first and said second plates (30, 30′, 30″; 32, 32′,32″) of said first and said second fuel cells (14) have respectivecross-sectional geometries and the key member (60, 60′, 60″) has across-sectional geometry adapted for firm engagement with the sides ofsaid first and said second seats when the fuel cell stack (12) is fullyassembled.
 6. The fuel cell system (10) of claim 5 wherein, prior toassembly of the fuel cell stack (12), the cross-sectional geometry ofthe key member (60, 60′, 60″) is slightly smaller than thecross-sectional geometry of said first and said second seats (62, 62′,62″; 64, 64′, 64″) and the length of the key member is slightly greaterthan the combined depths of said first and said second seats, the keymember being longitudinally compressed and expanded transversely intosaid firm engagement with the sides of said first and said second seatswhen the fuel cell stack is fully assembled.
 7. The fuel cell system(10) of claim 5 wherein at least one (62, 64, 62″) of said first andsaid second seats (62, 62′, 62″; 64, 64′, 64″) is an annular recesshaving a central mounting stub (70, 70″), and said key member (60, 60″)is annular and is mountedly disposed on said mounting stub for assembly.8. The fuel cell system (10) of claim 5 wherein said first and saidsecond seats (62′, 64′) are circular recesses and said key member (60′)is a disk.
 9. The fuel cell system (10) of claim 1 wherein said firstand said second plates (30, 30′, 30″; 32, 32′, 32″) of each fuel cell(14) are electrically conductive.
 10. The fuel cell system (10) of claim1 wherein the electrolyte (40) between said first and said second plates(30, 30′, 30″; 32, 32′, 32″) of a respective fuel cell (14) comprises aproton exchange membrane.
 11. The fuel cell system (10) of claim 1wherein said slip mitigation arrangement (50, 50′, 50″) is locatedbetween each pair of said fuel cells (14) in said fuel cell stack (12).12. The fuel cell system (10) of claim 11 wherein said slip mitigationarrangement (50, 50′, 50″) between each pair of said fuel cells ismultiple in number (150, 250, 350, 450).
 13. The fuel cell system (10)of claim 1 wherein said slip mitigation arrangement (50, 50′, 50″)between said pair of said fuel cells (14) is multiple in number (150,250, 350, 450).
 14. A method for minimizing slip due to shear loadingbetween adjacent fuel cells (14) in a stack (12) of plural fuel cells,said fuel cells each including a pair of first and second plates (30,30′, 30″; 32, 32′, 32″) at respective opposite ends thereof and anelectrolyte (40) there between, a first said fuel cell having a firstsaid plate (30, 30′, 30″) for engagement with a second said plate (32,32′, 32″) of a second fuel cell adjacent to said first fuel cell atrespective engagement surfaces thereof, the method comprising: providinga first seat (62, 62′, 62″) recessed in said engagement surface of saidfirst plate; providing a second seat (64, 64′, 64″) recessed in saidengagement surface of said second plate; said first and said secondseats having respective cross-sectional geometries; providing a keymember (60, 60′, 60″) disposed in one of said first and said secondseats prior to stack assembly, said key member having a cross-sectionalgeometry similar to but slightly smaller than the cross-sectionalgeometries of said first and said second seats and having a lengthslightly greater than the combined depths of said first and said secondseats; and assembling and longitudinally compressing said fuel cells insaid stack to bring said fuel cells into engagement with one another andcorrespondingly longitudinally compress said key member and causetransverse expansion thereof into firm engagement with the sides of thefirst and second seats to thereby reduce any movement between said fuelcells.